Cartridge firing attachment for air rifles



May 10,1949r R. H. DIXON 2,469,370

-CARTRIDGE FIRING ATTACHMENT FOR AIR RIFLES Filed March 12,- 1948 Z? 25 INVENTOR- favi 225x01? Patented May 10, 1949 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE CARTRIDGE FIRING ATTACHMENT FOR AIR RIFLES 9 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for converting an air rifle into a firearm for firing explosive cartridges.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel attachment for application to the free end portion of the barrel of an air rifle, whereby to adapt such type of rifle for the firing and discharge of explosive cartridges.

The invention has for another object to provide an attachment for the stated purpose, the cartridge holding and discharging portion of which is capable, without necessity for removal of the attachment from the air rifle barrel, of being displaced at will from its operative aligned relation to the air rifle barrel, so that the air rifle may be used in normal manner for discharge of air impelled missles or shots.

The invention has for a further object to provide an attachment for the stated purposes which is provided with a rotatable cylinder adapted to contain a plurality of explosive cartridges, whereby rotation of the cylinder will successively bring the cartridges into position to be fired and discharged.

Other objects of the invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the cartridge-firing attachment of this invention as applied to the barrel of an air rifle in position for use; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, with the air rifle barrel shown in part section and in part side elevation; Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View, taken on line 44 in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view, taken on line 55 in Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a side elevational view, showing the operative part of the cartridge firing attachment displaced from operative aligned relation to the air rifle barrel, whereby to permit normal use of the air rifle.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the hereinabove described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character ID indicates the free end portion of the barrel of any well known type of air rifle which is adapted to discharge small missiles, such e. g. as BB shot, by the released pressure oi air which is compressed by suitably manipulated 'mechanism (not shown) with which air rifles are provided.

The cartridge firing attachment of this invention comprises a base member II which is provided at its rear end portion with an upstanding clamping means unitary therewith, which is adapted to embrace the air rifle barrel It, so as to clamp the base member thereto for forward extension beneath said barrel Ill. The clamping means may be of any suitable specific design or form, but as illustratively shown, comprises a pillow block !2 and a cooperative separable clamping cap I 3. The pillow block I2 is provided in its upper face with a seating channel It which is shaped to conform to the under side of the air rifle barrel H3. The clamping cap I3 is also formed to provide a seating channel IS in its lower face which is shaped to conform to the upper side of said air rifle barrel Ill. The pillow block I2 and clamping cap is are respectively provided along their meeting side marginal portions with opposed laterally extending flanges l6 and I1, through which fastening elements, such e. g. as the screws l8, may be engaged, whereby to draw down the clamping cap toward the pillow block, and thus firmly grip the interposed portion of the air rifle barrel ll].

Hingedly connected, by a transverse hinge member IS, with the forward end of the base member II, is the breech member 20 of the cartridge firing attachment. Said breech member is thus connected by its lower rearward end to the base member ll, so as to be capable of down swinging movement relative to the latter. Unitary with the breech member 20, so as to extend forwardly from the upper end portion thereof, is a cartridge bullet discharge barrel 2!. The breech member 20 is provided with a downwardy open cylinder chamber 22. Rotatably mounted in the cylinder chamber 22, eccentric to the bore 23 of the cartridge bullet discharge barrel 2!, is a cartridge supporting cylinder 24. Said cylinder 24 is provided with a plurality of chambers 25 for the reception of explosive cartridges 2%. The cylinder 24 is rotatably mounted upon an axle pin 21 which is removably supported by and between the front and back walls 28 and 29 of the breech member 20. Said axle pin 21 is provided at its outer end with a finger piece 30 by which it can be manipulated. The cylinder 24 is so disposed relative to the cartridge bullet discharge barrel 2! that its chambers 25, and the cartridges 26 contained therein, can be successively brought 3 by a finger or thumb, inserted through said open bottom, for imparting desired rotative movement thereto. Yieldable detent means is provided for releasably holding the cylinder 24 stationary with a selected chamber 25 thereof and its contained cartridge 26 operatively aligned with the bore 23 of the cartridge bullet discharge barrel ZI. In an illustrativeaiorm .thereotsaidt detent means comprises a: leaf spring} I thelowersendjofirwhich is aflixed, as by the fastening screw 32, to the outer face of the front wall 28 of the breech member 23. Carried by the upper free end portion of said leaf spring is a- 'deter-t pin"- 33,'*Which extends through an opening 34 in the front wall 28 of the breech member, so that itsrireer-end can selectively and releasab-ly engage detent sockets 35 which are provided -in the aidjacent end of the cylinder 24. Said sockets .35 correspond in number and relative positions to the .number and .relative positions of. the cylinder chambers 25. ,Provided inthei back walPZSof the @breech memberllj, so .as;to be alignedwiththe ,axis.ofjthe.bore"23 ofthe cartridge bullet dis- ,charge'barrel 2I,, a nd with a cylindehchamber 125 and its contained cartridge 26'which is opposed to said barrelborejfl, is. a touchholeflfi.

Means is ptovidedyior releasably holding the breech me mber" 20 andcartridge bulletdischarge barrel" 2 I. upswung; tooperative position with, said, n bullet discharge barrelZI disposed innaxial align- ,ment with ,thB'bOIBOi the air rifle barrel IIl upon .which ,the cartridge 'firin attachment is operatively mounted. Illustrative of,,one 'of3various possibleiormscf such releasable holdingmearis, 'the'holding means, as shown,."cQm-prises a sub- .stantiallyU shapedmember orbail 37,?the ends ,of the legs of whichare respccti vely .afiixed to ;-opposite sides of thebreechmember 2D,,so-that the retainer member 01: bail extends ,rearwardly therefrom, with its,cl0sed free 8116.")38'; adapted "to overlap the clamping means-11y which the cartridgeifiringattachmentis-mounted-on-the-air "rifle barrel "I ll. Saidclosecl end-'38 "of theretainermemberpr,bail'd'l isgadapted to be releasably snapped over an;anchor"l-ug"3'9 with'which the clamping cap I3"ofth e clamping-means is provided. ,Whenso engaged withthe; anchor lug 739, the retainer,- member 'or-Joail 31 :supports'the "breech, member '20 "and cartridge -bullet *discharge barrelil ,in up raised-operative"relationto the barrel I 0, of'the air i-rifle,

*When 'mountingthecartridge firingattach- -ment ofithis invention -upon-the barrel "II! of an 'air rifle-,the :former is clamped to the barrel It in such relation toithe tree extremity ofthelatter #that the breech member 29 "of the attachment "will be disposed *in fabuttedor somewhat 'forwwardly spaced-re1ation to said "barrel extremity, -whensaid breech member is-upswung-and sepured I in raised operation i position, as shown in Ei S.; 1-to' 31inclusive." 'Under- 'thesecircumstances, fthe toucl'rhole 3I5'of the-breech memberml -will be "opposed to and -=aligned-with the bore of thetair -rifie --ba-rrel*i0. By rOtati-ngthe cylinder" 24, a

' selected ---cham-ber -15 thereof and itscontained cartridge 26, can be=aligned between the :bore of the air rifle barrel w andthe-bore Zd of the ---cartridge bullet discharge barrel zl. With the attachment thus operatively positioned, -the. air -;rifle 'is converted into anexplosive cartridge firing .rifle, and is readyto -be fired assuch. To fire the ,rifieas thus ,convertedJ-the'air riflebarrel m is supplied ,with a shot 40,;whereupon-the alr compressionme hani f .the rifle, is set subject ;to

trigger release inthe well known mannerywhereby to discharge air under pressure behind the shot II], and thereby forcefully impel the latter outwardly through the barrel In. The thus driven shot 40 will be projected through the touch hole 36 so as to make firing impact upon the cartridge 26 which is aligned with the latter, thereby exploding the cartridge powder charge with: resultant .discharge .,of.,the,. cartridge bullet tbr ushiandi from thedischarge barrellizl of the 10 attachment. After one cartridge is thus fired, tcthe cylinder 24 can be turned to bring a succeeding cartridge into firing position. If the air rifle is of the muzzle loading, single shot type, and "the breech member is disposed to abut the ex- .151 tremitr' oilithebarrel I 0, by upturning the air rifle barrel ID, the shot 40 can be returned to initial position vwithinrthe air rifle barrel ready for a ...repetition of the above described cartridge firing operations. The cartridge firing operations can -29 ,be repeated until the cartridge content of the cylinderi i' is, exhausted. If the breech -member ,is disposed in -spac'ed- -relation "to the extremity "of ,the barrel ID, the used shot 40 is allowed-to fall 'awayithrough'the intervening gap. Suchspaced 55- disposition of the -breech member -from the ex- "tremity'offthe barreh liorwill befound -mostconyen-lent and -prcferable when the 'attachment is applied to an air'rifieof the-repeating type After -the acartri'dges -contained--in I the cylinder =24 have been discharged; saidcylinder can be z' removed from the-breech *member "*2ll;- and "the engpty cartridge shells withdrawn therefrom, '"whereafter F the c-ylinder can be eloaded and re- I --mountedin the breeeh member zll. --To release 13.1 the"cylinder 24 from the-breech==membenthe axle pin 2"! iswithdrawn from theseparts, and the detent pin 33 relaxedwso that*thecylindercanbe wdropped "out -'through the openbottom -of the breech-member. After the cylinder 24 has 'been 4 Ii reloaded, it--can=-be returned-intothe breech mem- "berand into engagement --with thedetent pin whereafterthe' axle pin Z I is replaced, I thus re- "loading the attachment ready Tor -further cartridge firing use.

5 -'qhe breech 'memberdll with' the'cartridgebullet discharge barrel" 2 I may tie-displaced from operative --cartridge firing relation to the air rifle barrel ID by releasing the bail 31 from the anchor lug' 39pand then'swingin-gMown the breechmem- 50- ber -2Il-andbarrel 2 Iabout'ithe hinge connection w (see Figi' fi). when thusdownswung; the breecbmember lfl and barrel-2 I -will hang from *the-base-member I I below thelevel of the air rifle barrel lflnthus leaving thendisoharge end ofthe iii latter unobstructed, so that the air rifle may i thereupon be used in a normal manner for disi chargeof air impelled missles or shots. 1 :Itmill be obvious that such' displacement of the breech member 2 0 andbarrel z I may be made without cu-necessity=-for -removing the attachmentdfrom its clamped'relation to the air rifle :barreli IEI.

Lam-aware thatevarious "changescould be-made 1 in theqabove described constructions without departing from the scope of this inventlonms deifiired by the' heredollowing claimsp -It is therefore "in-tended that the matter-contained in the above description and shown in the -"accompanying drawings ,shalhbe interpreted as illustrative-and not in a: limiting sense.

""I claim: *1. A cartridg .;firi r, 1 ;;;:attathment ""for- ,an .air r x mn i inaa Ibreech memberighaving ;a cartridge pbnllet dischareedaarrel extending outr wardly therefrom, means'tosupport an explosive 7v cartridge within said breech member in aligned relation to the bore of said barrel, and means to connect said breech member in attached relation to the barrel of an air rifle with the supported cartridge aligned with the bore of the .atter, whereby a shot air impelled through the air rifle barrel will strike and fire said cartridge.

2. A cartridge firing attachment for an air rifle comprising a breech member having a cartridge bullet discharge barrel extending outwardly therefrom, means to support an explosive cartridge within said breech member in aligned relation to the bore of said barrel, means for attaching said breech member to the barrel of an air rifle, a hinge connection between said breech member and attaching means, whereby said breech member may be optionally disposed in operative or non-operative relation to the bore of said air rifle barrel, and means to releasably hold said breech member in operative relation to the bore of the air rifle barrel with the supported cartridge aligned with said bore, whereby a shot air impelled through the air rifle barrel will strike and fire said cartridge.

3. A cartridge firing attachment for an air rifle comprising a breech member having a cartridge bullet discharge barrel extending outwardly therefrom, means to support an explosive cartridge within said breech member in aligned relation to the bore of said barrel, and. means for attaching said breech member to the barrel of an air rifle including means to optionally dispose the former in operative or non-operative relation to the latter, said breech member, when operatively disposed, being adapted to position the supported cartridge in alignment with the bore of the air rifle barrel, whereby a shot air impelled through the air rifle barrel will strike and fire said cartridge.

4. A cartridge firing attachment for an air rifle comprising a breech member having a cartridge bullet discharge barrel extending outwardly therefrom, a cartridge holding cylinder rotatably mounted in said breech member, rotation of said cylinder being adapted to position a selected contained cartridge in aligned relation to the bore of said barrel, yieldable detent means for holding said cylinder in cartridge aligning relation to the bore of said barrel, and means to connect said breech member in attached relation to the barrel of an air rifle with a positioned cartridge aligned with the bore of the latter, whereby a shot air impelled through the air rifle barrel will strike and fire said cartridge.

5. A cartridge firing attachment for an air rifle comprising a breech member having a cartridge bullet discharge barrel extending outwardly therefrom, a cartridge holding cylinder rotatably mounted in said breech member, rotation of said cylinder being adapted to position a selected contained cartridge in aligned relation to the bore of said barrel, yieldable detent means for holding said cylinder in cartridge aligning relation to the bore of said barrel, and means for attaching said breech member to the barrel of an air rifle including means to optionally dispose the former in operative or non-operative relation to the latter, said breech member, when operatively disposed, being adapted to align a positioned cartridge with the bore of the air rifle barrel, whereby a shot air impelled through the air rifle barrel will strike and fire said cartridge.

6. A cartridge firing attachment for an air rifle comprising a breech member having a cartridge bullet discharge barrel extending outwardly therefrom, a cartridge holding cylinder rotatably connection between said breech member and attaching means, whereby said breech member may be optionally disposed in operative or non-operative relation to the bore of said air rifle barrel, and means to releasably hold said breech member in operative relation to the bore of the air rifle barrel with a positioned cartridge aligned with said bore, whereby a shot air impelled through the air rifle barrel will strike and fire said cartridge.

7. A cartridge firing attachment for an air rifle comprising a downwardly open chambered breech member having a cartridge bullet discharge barrel extending outwardly therefrom, the rear wall of said breech member having a touch hole aligned with the bore of said barrel, a cartridge holding cylinder removably mounted in said breech member, a detachable axle pin supported in and between the front and rear walls of said breech member, said axle pin being adapted to rotatably support said cylinder, rotation of said cylinder being adapted to position a selected contained cartridge in aligned relation to and between the bore of said barrel and said touch hole, yieldable detent means for holding said cylinder in cartridge positioning condition, and means to connect said breech member in attached relation to the barrel of an air rifle with its touch hole and a positioned cartridge aligned with the bore of the latter, whereby a shot impelled through the air rifle barrel will strike and fire said cartridge.

8. A cartridge firing attachment for an air rifle comprising a downwardly open chambered breech member having a cartridge bullet discharge barrel extending outwardly therefrom, the rear wall of said breech member having a touch hole aligned with the bore of said barrel, a cartridge holding cylinder removably mounted in said breech member, a detachable axle pin supported in and between the front and rear walls of said breech member, said axle pin being adapted to rotatably support said cylinder, rotation of said cylinder being adapted to position a selected contained cartridge in aligned relation to and between the bore of said barrel and said touch hole, yieldable detent means for holding said cylinder in cartridge positioning condition, and means for attaching said breech member to the barrel of an air rifle including means to optionally dispose the former in operative or nonoperative relation to the latter, said breech member, when operatively disposed, being adapted to align its touch hole and a positioned cartridge with the bore of the air rifle, whereby a shot air impelled through the air rifle barrel will strike and fire said cartridge.

9. A cartridge firing attachment for an air rifle comprising a downwardly open chambered breech member having a cartridge bullet discharge barrel extending outwardly therefrom, the rear wall of said breech member having a touch hole aligned with the bore of said barrel, a

cartridge holding cylinder removably mounted in said breech member, a detachable axle pin supported in and between the front and rear walls of said breech member, said axle pin being adapted to rotatably support said cylinder, rotation of said cylinder being adapted to position 

